The state House passed a controversial measure to regulate fracking, despite significant opposition from Democrats who said the practice could harm the state’s natural resources.

The House voted 73-45 after more than an hour of passionate debate to approve the bill (HB 191), with just a few Republicans joining Democrats in opposing it.

“Yesterday, over 27 counties said they wanted to ban fracking yet you are up here representing your county and you’re just going to push that green button just because your leadership says ‘do it,’” said Rep. Larry Lee, a Port St. Lucie Democrat. “It’s wrong.”

The vote marked the third time since 2013 that the state House has voted on a bill aimed at hydraulic fracturing. Rep. Ray Rodrigues, an Estero Republican, has filed legislation to address fracking every year since 2013. While his early bills focused primarily on disclosure requirements, recent versions of the bills addressed regulation.

“This process has taken four years. This topic has had 17 committee hearings in the House and three votes on the floor, after this vote today,” he said. “I recognize this bill is in the center of a storm of controversy.”

The bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct study into the impact fracking, and other high pressure well stimulation techniques, have on Florida’s water and geology.

“This bill is not the beginning, it’s not the end, but it is the continuation of a journey that Florida is taking to preserve and protect our environment,” said Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, a Fort Myers Republican. “I am confident it is much better to examine and regulate the potentially harmful practice than to do nothing at all.”

It also requires the agency to designate FracFocus, a national chemical disclosure registry, as the state’s chemical disclosure registry; increase penalties from $10,000 a day per violation to $25,000 a day per violation; and requires drillers to get a permit before they can begin fracking.

The bill prohibits local governments from instituting bans, but allows local governments to adopt and enforce zoning and land use regulations as long as those rules don’t “impose a moratorium on, effectively prohibit, or inordinately burden” those activities.

“This bill recognizes the emergence of new technology in energy independence in the United States and Florida,” said Rep. Shawn Harrison, a Tampa Republican. “We owe it to our constituents to fully explore whether this new technology can be safely done in Florida, where it can be done in Florida and if it can be done to protect our citizens while reaching the goal that we all share, which is energy independence.”

The reaction to the House decision was swift, with opponents voicing their dismay over the legislative body’s decision.

“These House members turned a deaf ear to the hundreds of peer reviewed studies that have highlighted just how dangerous the process of fracking – from beginning to end – is to the health of nearby communities,” said Dr. Lynn Ringenberg, president of Physicians For Social Responsibility on behalf of Floridians Against Fracking, in a statement. “Pro-fracking legislators, intent on doing the oil and gas industry’s bidding, even scorned sensible health-specific amendments that would have looked at studying things like the pre-natal health effects of fracking. It is a shameful day.”

Ringenberg said if the measure becomes law, communities around the Florida Everglades “will be permanently at risk of exposure” to water contamination and air pollution. She said organizations are now “relying on the Senate to reject this reprehensible bill.”

While opponents expressed outrage over the passage, some business organizations applauded the House for passing the measure. In a statement Wednesday, Brewster Bevis, senior vice president of state and federal affairs for Associated Industries of Florida, commended Rodrigues for his efforts.

“By working in good faith with concerned citizens and third parties, we believe that the final product of HB 191 both appropriately empowers the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to properly regulate the onshore oil and gas industry, and also ensures the protection and preservation of Florida’s environment,” he said in a statement.

The Senate companion (SB 318), sponsored by Naples Republican Sen. Garrett Richter, has one more committee stop before it heads to the full Senate for a vote.

Share this:

41 Comments

Children born this year can expect to live beyond the year 2100. And we are talking fracking? For energy security? Florida could shut down every carbor fired power plant in this state if it agressively adopted solar, tidal and wind projects. We may want to consider doing something as our coasts are being swamped by mere high tides. Barrier islands disappearing, washed over. The water is rising. Even if you don’t believe in anthropogenic warming, a diverse, fixed cost,efficient power grid, would still be the ideal.
Fracking? You backward looking, bought out, no-count politicians should lose your jobs. Fracking?

This act is criminal, the incompetence and imbecility of those voting to pass this bill is just completly horrendous…how these guys can do something so stupid? we need as citizens, orginize a boicot to this actions passed by the republican stupidity and lack of common sense.

Two Florida fracking bills are being swept through the legislature as fast as possible. HB191 preempts local municipalities from banning fracking. Citizen time to speak against this bill was cut to 30 seconds each. People from as far away as PA came to speak, some brought their polluted water to show.

If they start fracking in this state, I’m moving out of it. The damage that will be done to the aquifer will impact the health of everyone in the state. I was raised in FL but I will not risk my health because of greedy businesses and politicians.

They is fracking in more states than wht you probably even know. It makes me laugh when I hear people tht are uneducated about this subject talk. All they do is believe wht they are being told. Now am I saying frack near your landmarks or preserves, cities no of course not and neither are they most likely.

I’m surprised, given the geology of Florida, sea level rise, and sea water infiltration, that this would be allowed… Maybe they just figure the place is doomed, and that they’d better get their money and run.

What you said is true, they will make their money and then they’ll move away. Only thing is if they are within a mile from a pad with wells, not one insurance company will give the new homeowner insurance against liablility from the fracking industry. So who’d buy their houses?

Hmm one question tho why are you so defensive towards fracking? Is it the fact a leak will contaminate so called cleaner sources of water in the environment and or is it the fact they use some 150 million gallons of water a year???

I jus wana say animal AG causes more contamination ocean dead zones disease epidemics the leading causes of death is heart disease and cancer caused from animal fat cholesterol and protein…. Also animal AG uses 35 trillion gallons of water a year…. Also the fact we feed some 100 billion animals all this food while we have starving people when if we jus look at the facts Cowspiracy.com it would definitely be feasible if we cut out the middle animal we would end disease end hunger end war ect ect ect ect…. I’m with ya on the solar but they have all sorts of solar roads bike paths car ports ect ect ect in other countries but also they enforce no gmos no fuckin toxic chemicals in the food chain unlike America were here they force chemicals an a toxic diet apon you so you will indeed be guided to the dr were they will leach your bank account until you die of preventable disease… Nutrition facts.org how not to die check the book out…

You are absolutely right that we totally ignore the AG pollution, but that is something that has been in place for too many years to be able to address the issues quickly. However fracking is new and we simply can not afford to let it get a foothold in our state. Even the dumbest of Americans understand that fracking is bad and that there will be a disaster because of it. What Florida residents need to do is make use of our “sunshine” laws and start gathering documents now on all of the representatives in favor of fracking in order to determine how they are being bribed…

The bill prohibits local governments from instituting bans, but allows local governments to adopt and enforce zoning and land use regulations as long as those rules don’t “impose a moratorium on, effectively prohibit, or inordinately burden” those activities.

“This bill recognizes the emergence of new technology in energy independence in the United States and Florida,” said Rep. Shawn Harrison, a Tampa Republican. “We owe it to our constituents to fully explore whether this new technology can be safely done in Florida, where it can be done in Florida and if it can be done to protect our citizens while reaching the goal that we all share, which is energy independence.”
I am from NYS, I have been fighting fracking for over 6 years. I have mountains of proof to show you that High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing will totally destroy your land, air and water. Property values will plummet, methane leaks ( as in Calf right now!) will make residents have to leave their homes. Your home owners insurance, will not insure your house if you live within a mile from these wells. The pipes will deteriorate and leak known carcinogens into your ground water, not to mention the 24 hour flares that you will see, hear and smell, containing methane gas and lots of toxic chemicals going into the air. Truck traffic will increase and the state of Florida will lose so much tourism because no one wants to see a pad with wells and the noise from all of the activities associated with HVHF will turn your state into an industrial waste zone. Leaving your citiziens with tainted water and polluted air.

“The bill prohibits local governments from instituting bans, but allows local governments to adopt and enforce zoning and land use regulations as long as those rules don’t “impose a moratorium on, effectively prohibit, or inordinately burden” those activities.”

“This bill recognizes the emergence of new technology in energy independence in the United States and Florida,” said Rep. Shawn Harrison, a Tampa Republican. “We owe it to our constituents to fully explore whether this new technology can be safely done in Florida, where it can be done in Florida and if it can be done to protect our citizens while reaching the goal that we all share, which is energy independence.”

This is what I said

I am from NYS, I have been fighting fracking for over 6 years. I have mountains of proof to show you that High Volume Hydraulic Fracturing will totally destroy your land, air and water. Property values will plummet, methane leaks ( as in Calf right now!) will make residents have to leave their homes. Your home owners insurance, will not insure your house if you live within a mile from these wells. The pipes will deteriorate and leak known carcinogens into your ground water, not to mention the 24 hour flares that you will see, hear and smell, containing methane gas and lots of toxic chemicals going into the air. Truck traffic will increase and the state of Florida will lose so much tourism because no one wants to see a pad with wells and the noise from all of the activities associated with HVHF will turn your state into an industrial waste zone. Leaving your citiziens with tainted water and polluted air.

Truly hard to believe. We seem to be having an increasing problem with sink holes already. The everglades and ground water already battle effects of sugar cane pollution runoff. We cannot have our water and environment attacked so violently by the fracking industry. Rick Scott don’t destroy FL just because you have enough money to move to another state after you leave office !!

There is already sufficient evidence on the hazards of fracking in regions with far more suitable geologic structures. Florida can only hope it isn’t even worse here but it certainly won’t be better with our limestone strata. As for regulating it, the best regulation by far is to disallow it. That is a transparent ruse which insults the intelligence of the citizens of Florida.

For anyone that has half a brain can understand that this would be the worst solution for energy. Nothing can come good from FRACKING. Only polluted waters, sink holes and killing our earth is what we would gain. I would like to know who hates Florida so much to vote such a horrible idea to us the ppl of Florida. You don’t believe me YouTube FRACKING!!!

I am from Florida and have long since left the state since Florida was becoming a southern ‘hick hole’ run by backwards hick politicians. I am sure everyone of them know that the state overlays a bed of limestone. How can one advertize just how stupid one can be by voting for fracking? See: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/geologictopics/hazards/sinkholes.htm

Literally wtf is wrong with people? Yeah go ahead and ruin Florida’s environment because you selfish pricks are hungry for money. I hope those people could just die. This should be illegal because it is SUCH a criminal act. But nooooo, its not realistically going to be illegal because it’s good money. Like Fuck the house approving this bullshit. The government obviously doesn’t even fucking care about their own countries environment. Why are they proud to call themselves Americans if THEY DON’T EVEN FUCKING CARE ABOUT AMERICA’S ENVIRONMENT. We, as citizens, should definitely boycott this horrendous shit.

This will LITERALLY RUIN Florida. Why are people so fucking stupid to where they dont care about the environment? Literally all they care about is money. Hopefully those kinds of ppl get a taste of their own medicine and get cancer and die a slow death.
The sad part is: a lot of people don’t know the actual harm this is going to bring to us, as citizen’s of Florida. Not only will it hurt our environment, but people are probably going to start getting sick because of this. But hey, if its something profitable, then fuck people’s health and fuck the environment. Got to love our wonderful government for letting such a criminal act be legal because it’s going to be profitable. They should be ashamed of calling themselves Americans.

This will LITERALLY RUIN Florida. Why are people so fucking stupid to where they do not care about the environment and people’s health? Literally all they care about is money, money, and money! I hope that those kinds of people get a taste of their own medicine and die of some sort of cancer. The sad part is: a lot of people do not know the actual harm this is going to bring us, as citizen’s of Florida. Not only will it HURT our environment, but the people are probably going to start getting sick because of this. But hey, I guess the mentality is “if its something profitable, then fuck the people’s health and fuck the environment.” Got to LOVE our WONDERFUL (but not really so wonderful) government for letting such a criminal act become legal because it’s going to be profitable. They should be thoroughly ASHAMED to call themselves Americans.

maybe this will help get some of those old people out of the way for a new generation of people who are open to new Ideas and ways to make our country self sufficient. I cant believe you believe that Fracking hurts anything. You listen to the People who are trying to force some Green energy agenda down our throats . Fracking create thousands of Jobs and does not hurt the Environment . Cattle hurt the Environment more than anything on this Earth. Methane is the leading cause of ozone depletion. Next to that is Chlorine. Leave the State. We dont care. we want Jobs. Go to Alabama, and retire. Tired of listening to you old farts whine about shit you know nothing about.

4 days agoby Fla_PolCFO Jeff Atwater and Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier host an insurance roundtable discussion Friday with representatives from more than 25 insurance companies operating in Florida. #FlaPol

1 week agoby Fla_PolGov. Rick Scott recognizes Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Channing Taylor in Orlando with the Governor’s Medal of Heroism for his bravery during a life threatening incident earlier this year. #FlaPol

3 weeks agoby Fla_PolClearwater Police Dept. Sgt. Wilton Lee helps package brussel sprouts Friday at Sen. Jack Latvala's (R-Clearwater) 14th Annual Produce Giveaway. Sgt. Lee said he is not a big fan of the vegetable. Latvala teamed up with non-profit Farm Share, Inc., which links surplus farm food with social service agencies throughout Florida and the southeastern United States. #Fla_Pol

3 weeks agoby Fla_PolFor the 14th year, Senator Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater) partnered with Farm Share, Inc., to distribute fresh Florida produce to local citizens at three Pinellas County locations. Farm Share, Inc. is a non-profit that links farmers' surplus produce with with social service agencies in Florida and the southeastern United States. #Fla_Pol